Salford Schools Forum

SALFORD SCHOOLS FORUM

CONSTITUTION

1. Title and membership

1.1 the forum shall be called the salford schools forum and will comprise the following members appointed by the local authority from nominations put forward by the organisations indicated:-

schools membership

Special schools - one headteacher or one governor as nominated by the schools or one member of the school senior management team with finance responsibilities as nominated by the headteacher .

Secondary schools - five members comprising headteachers nominated by the salford secondary headteachers association or

Members of the school senior management team with

Finance responsibilities as nominated by the headteachers and governors nominated by appropriate governing bodies with the number of representatives from the groups to be determined by discussion between the groups .

Primary schools - four headteachers nominated by the primary network chairs or members of the school senior management team with finance responsibilities as nominated by the headteacher and four governors nominated by appropriate governing bodies.

Note: headteachers will entitled to named substitutes who may attend meetings as non-voting observers .

Non-school members

Seven members appointed by the local authority from amongst the following:-

One councillor nominated by the lead member for children’s services.

Two members nominated by the standing advisory council for religious education to represent the faith communities.

One member nominated by the early years partnership

One member nominated by the 14-19 partnership

Two members nominated by the teaching and the non-teaching trades unions.

Note: (1)the local authority, via the secretary to the forum, shall give details of the above members to all maintained schools in the city within one month of appointment either at the establishment of the forum or after the appointment of any new/replacement member.

(2)the ratio of members shall be reviewed at the start of each academic year to ensure that the number of schools members reflects the number of pupils in each sector .

Observers

The learning and skills council (lasc) and the city academy shall be invited to send observers to all meetings of the forum.

Other organisations shall be invited to send observers to meetings depending upon the nature of the issues to be discussed at the discretion of the chair and deputy chair.

The local authority will, via the secretary, ensure that the observers receive agenda for, and minutes, of meetings.

Neither the forum nor the local authority may exclude the observer from particular meetings/ discussion on specific items although he/she may withdraw if requested.

1.2 members are required to declare any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any contract, proposed contract or other matter which is to be the subject of consideration at a meeting at which they are present. Such members shall withdraw from discussion on such items and take no part in any decisions. Provided, however, that a person who is a governor of , or parent of a child at, a school which is the subject of consideration at that meeting should not be treated as having, by virtue of that fact alone, a pecuniary interest in the matter under discussion; but he or she should declare at the meeting prior to discussion of that matter that he or she is a governor of, or a parent of a child at, the school concerned.

1.3 the term of office for a member will, subject to his/her eligibility, be four years.

1.4 a person will cease to be a member of the forum when he/she:

resigns from membership by giving notice in writing to the secretary.

ceases to be eligible (e.g. is no longer a governor).

misses more than three consecutive meetings of the forum.

2. Meetings of the forum

2.1 the chairman and the deputy chairman shall be appointed from within the membership of the forum at the first meeting in each academic year (i.e. september to august).

2.2 their period of office shall be one year with the possibility of re-election. They will, however, cease to hold office by (a) resigning or (b) ceasing to be members of the forum.

2.3 the chairman and the deputy chairman shall not be drawn from the same sector or area of responsibility. The chair shall alternate between the sectors .

2.4 the responsibilities for the chairman/deputy chairman shall include chairing the meeting and overseeing the preparation, by the secretary of a record of the meeting.

2.5 all decisions shall be made by a simple majority of members present and voting at the meeting. In the event of equality of voting the chairman shall have a second or 'casting' vote.

2.6 the forum shall be quorate when a minimum of 40% of the total membership is present at a meeting subject to this including schools’ representatives from more than a single educational sector. The forum may still meet if inquorate but cannot make formal recommendations under such circumstances.

2.7 the forum shall meet as necessary to enable it to carry out effectively the tasks set out in 4 below. It must meet at least three times in each financial year.

2.8 meetings of the forum shall not be open to the public but this decision shall be reviewed annually .

2.9 any advice from sub-committees or working groups which may be established shall be subject to confirmation by the forum prior to communication to the local authority.

3. Administration

3.1 the secretary shall ensure that

members are made aware when and where meetings are to take place and the issues to be discussed.

the results of the meetings including the recommendations of the forum are recorded and communicated to salford city council's lead member for children’s services and strategic director of children’s services for action.

the action taken as a result of the recommendations is communicated to members of the forum.

a schedule of meetings is determined for the coming financial year at the last meeting of the preceding year.

4. Terms of reference

4.1 the salford local authority shall consult the forum on

any proposed changes in relation to the factors and criteria that were taken into account (or the methods, principles and rules that have been adopted) in their school funding formula made in accordance with regulations made under section 47 of the school standards and framework act 1998; and

the financial effects of any such change.

4.2 the consultation in 4.1 shall take place in sufficient time to allow the views expressed to be taken into account in the determination of the local authority 's formula and in the initial determination of schools' budget shares before the beginning of the financial year.

4.3 the salford local authority shall consult the forum on the terms of any proposed contract for supplies or services, being a contract paid or to be paid by the authority on behalf of schools, where the estimated value exceeds the ojec threshold (currently £154,000) at least one month prior to the issue of invitation to tender. The forum shall not be consulted on the acceptance of such tenders.

4.4 on an annual basis the salford local authority shall consult the forum on the authority's functions relating to the following aspects of the schools' budget:-

(a) the arrangements to be made for the education of pupils with special educational needs;

(b) arrangements for the use of pupil referral units and the education of children otherwise than at school;

(c) arrangements for early years education;

(d) arrangements for insurance taken out by the local authority on behalf of schools;

(e) prospective revisions to the relevant authority's scheme for the financing of schools;

(f) administrative arrangements for the allocation of central government grants paid to schools via the relevant authority; and

(g) arrangements for free school meals.

4.5 salford local authority may consult the forum on such other matters concerning the funding of schools as they see fit.

4.6 the forum shall, as soon as reasonably possible, give account to the governing bodies of schools maintained by the salford local authority of all consultations carried out under 4.1 - 4.5 above.

4.7 the forum may approve breaches in central expenditure limits so as to cover high cost items such as special needs

4.8 the forum may decide whether changes to the minimum funding guarantee methodology proposed by the local authority should be implemented and may vary its operation to resolve anomalies as long as such action does not affect more than 50% of pupils in schools.

4.9 the forum may agree to a transfer of resources if the local authority wishes to use the dedicated schools grant within the broader every child matters context if members are content that such action will broadly meet the needs of pupils .

5. Costs arising from the salford school forum

5.1 costs of the forum (including direct servicing costs, members' expenses and apportioned overheads) shall be charged to the schools budget .

6. Members' expenses

6.1 the local authority shall pay the reasonable expenses of members of the forum out of the schools budget.

1

Document in ssfa031007.doc